A planned fight among a group of teenagers turned deadly on Monday as two teens were killed and five other people were injured in a mass shooting at a North Carolina park.
In the parking lot of the park, officers discovered 17-year-old Eruby Romero Medina, who was pronounced deceased at the scene, as he suffered from a gunshot wound. A 16-year-old, Daniel Jimenez Millian, was located in the park suffering from a gunshot wound, where he succumbed to his injuries. Millian was a student in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District.
The five other people injured in the shooting range from ages 14 to 19, according to Winston-Salem police Capt. Kevin Burns. Those individuals suffered injuries ranging from minor to critical.
According to officials, a 14-year-old girl, a 15-year-old girl, a 17-year-old girl, an 18-year-old boy, and a 19-year-old girl were all hospitalized with gunshot wounds.
The incident occurred in Leinbach Park, a suburban residential area northwest of downtown Winston-Salem. Police Chief William Penn said no suspect was in custody, and authorities believe some of the individuals injured might have also been involved in the shooting.
“I feel like everyone else. I’m frustrated, I’m angry, I’m sad. This didn’t have to happen,” Penn said.
Police could not determine if the teens who were killed in the incident were the ones expected to fight, nor did they have an idea as to why the teens were going to fight.
“I am deeply saddened by the shooting at Leinbach Park involving young people from our community,” Winston-Salem mayor Allen Joines said in a statement. “My heart is with those who were injured, their families, and everyone affected by this incident. I know this has caused fear, pain, and heartbreak for many, especially our youth and the people who care about them.”
He added, “Moments like this remind us how connected we all are as a community. They also remind us of the responsibility we share to look out for one another, to listen, and to work together toward real solutions that help keep our young people safe and supported.”
